Background
Ambulatory epidural analgesia (AEA) is a popular choice for labor analgesia because ambulation reportedly increases maternal comfort, increases the intensity of uterine contractions, avoids inferior vena cava compression, facilitates fetal head descent, and relaxes the pelvic musculature, all of which can shorten labor. However, the preponderance of evidence suggests that ambulation during labor is not associated with these benefits. The purpose of this study is to determine whether ambulation with AEA decreases labor duration from the time of epidural insertion to complete cervical dilatation.
Methods
In this prospective, randomized study, 160 nulliparous women with AFA were randomly assigned to one of two groups: AEA with ambulation and AEA without ambulation. AEA blocks were initiated with 15-20 ml ropivacaine (0.07%) plus 100 microg fentanyl, followed by a continuous infusion of 0.07% ropivacaine plus 2 microg/ml fentanyl at 15-20 ml/h. Maternal measured variables included ambulation time, time from epidural insertion to complete dilatation, stage II duration, pain Visual Analogue Scale scores, and mode of delivery. APGAR scores were recorded at 1 and 5 min. Results are expressed as mean +/- SD or median and analyzed using the t test, chi-square, or the Mann-Whitney test at P < or = 0.05.
Results
The ambulatory group walked 25.0 +/- 23.3 min, sat upright 40.3 +/- 29.7 min, or both. Time from epidural insertion to complete dilatation was 240.9 +/- 146.1 min in the ambulatory group and 211.9 +/- 133.9 min in the nonambulatory group (P = 0.206).
Conclusion
Ambulatory epidural analgesia with walking or sitting does not shorten labor duration from the time of epidural insertion to complete cervical dilatation.
Quality of labor epidural analgesia and maternal outcome with levobupivacaine and ropivacaine: A double-blinded randomized trial
